


The Guardian Moon Lament

by Salty_Pistachios



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Angst, Byleth needs a hug, Can be read as shipping or friendship, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Everyone is getting a chapter yeeehaw, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Hurt/Comfort, Gen, Grief/Mourning, Heavy Angst, Hurt/Comfort, It's gonna be angsty but there is fluff in the mix, Male My Unit | Byleth, Multi, Other, Post Jeralt Death, everyone wants to help - Freeform, heavy spoilers
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-30
Updated: 2020-01-23
Packaged: 2020-09-30 19:48:51
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 8
Words: 9,385
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20452607
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Salty_Pistachios/pseuds/Salty_Pistachios
Summary: BYLETH GETS SAD YEEHAW!!!I was thinking "Man, I wish I could see Byleth breaking and his students reacting to that."SO then I thought, "I wonder how everyone would react if they saw Byleth breaking in a lot of different ways?"Angst. That's how they react.





	1. Mercedes

**Author's Note:**

> Plot bunnies be damned. I'm about to get sad on you motherfuckers.
> 
> There is not a set house that Byleth is a part of when I'm writing these oneshots, so I'd just imagine he's in whatever house he's in for that student or whomever
> 
> All in all, everyone wants to help Byleth in whatever way that they can!! Hooray angst and fluff!!
> 
> All of this can be read as shippy or just friends :)

Mercedes has had her doubts about the professor’s condition for some time now. She was absolutely sure that the man was putting on a facade as to not worry anyone. It wasn’t working because Mercedes noticed that everyone threw concerned glances and furrowed brows towards their teacher, asking if he was okay. Even Felix and Hubert softened up a smidge. But even then, he plastered a strained smile and insisted he was okay. She wasn’t buying any of it.

“Class is dismissed. Be ready for the upcoming test tomorrow.” The class began packing their books and materials and started filing out of the room. Except for Mercedes. She deliberately took her time putting her things up, waiting for the stragglers to leave the classroom where she would be alone with Professor Byleth. He was currently hunched over his desk, hair falling in front of his eyes. She decided to approach him then.

“Excuse me, Professor?” she asked calmly, a disarming smile on her face. His eyes met hers and she could see the beginning of tears well up in them. Beyond that, they looked so….. tired.

“Yes, Mercedes? How can I help you?” He asked his ash-blonde student. 

“I was just wondering how you were doing. I know these days have been rough for you, so--” She was cut off by him waving his hand.

“Mercedes, I appreciate the sentiment, truly. But I am doing just fine.” He sighed softly as he looked away from her sapphire eyes. “It was tough in the beginning, but it’s better now. I promise.” He looked back up at her, smiling. But she knew it wasn’t a real one. He hardly ever gave a real smile before, and now they were practically non-existent. She missed his smiles.

“Well...I do hope that you know we’re all here for you, Professor,” Mercedes reached into her bag and pulled out a small cloth bag tied with silver ribbon. “I had some extra cookies from when Annie and I baked yesterday. I thought you might like to have some.” She set them down on his desk, giving a kind smile, before turning and leaving the classroom. 

When she was out of eye and earshot, she heaved a heavy sigh, brushing a small tear from her eye. “Professor… you shouldn’t tell lies that your eyes can’t hide.”

________________________________________________________________________

It was late and she knew that, but Mercedes couldn’t rest. And when she can’t rest, she takes a trip to the chapel to pray for rest. It was an hour after midnight and the bitter cold of the Guardian Moon fell on Garreg Mach like a blanket. Mercedes sort of regretted just wearing her sleeping clothes out here, but she was glad she thought to bring her warmest shawl with her. That and with her hair being untied and free, she was warm.

She strode past the gate and slipped through the giant doors, hoping she was being quiet. As she pushed the door shut, she almost swore she heard a pattering of steps leaving the main chapel.

She knew it was too late for any monks to be around. Not even Cyril would be up at this hour. Mercedes pulled her shawl around her and strode onward, towards the source of those steps. As she got closer, she heard what sounded like a door from the western side slamming shut. She picked up her pace and went outside. Mercedes couldn’t see who or what shut that door. She froze when she heard what sounded like sobbing coming from the Goddess Tower. Choked, desperate sobbing. _ No _ , she thought. _ It couldn’t be _. She hurried to the door, which, surprisingly had no one guarding it anymore. The sobbing grew louder as she entered and started climbing up the stairs into the top room. She peeked around the corner, and what she saw broke her heart.

It was Professor Byleth. He was on his knees and elbows, just letting these coarse sobs rack his body. She could hear him muttering to some unseen person.

“Why…? Why him? Why take my only family?! Dammit! I couldn’t protect my own father, so how can I protect these kids?!” He spat those words in rage. Rage at himself.

Mercedes covered her mouth with her hand, tears leaking from her eyes. She took a deep breath and let it out before softly saying, “You’re already doing a great job.”

In a flash, Byleth stood up and brought out his sword, ready to attack. But instead all he saw was Mercedes, with tear trails down her face. “M-Mercedes.” He cleared his throat, sheathing his blade. He also tried to subtly wipe the remaining tears from his eyes, but she saw past it. “You should be in bed.”

“You should be too, Professor.” She cautiously stepped forward, worry etched into her face. “You were lying earlier, weren’t you?” Mercedes stopped just a couple of steps from him. Byleth couldn’t meet her eyes. "Your eyes always betrayed your true feelings, Professor." She told him, her voice soft.

“I have to be strong for everyone. I’m not letting any of you die on my watch.” He simply said before muttering, “Not again.” She was curious as to what that meant, but she let it slide for now.

“You have to take time for yourself, Professor. It’s okay to cry.” She stepped closer, looking into his own ocean eyes. “It’s just us, Byleth. It’s okay to break sometimes.” With the use of his name, he looked back towards Mercedes and saw her crying once more. His cheeks felt wet as his tears ran down them, his crying starting once more, sobs racking his body.

Mercedes wrapped her arms around his torso, opening her shawl to let him inside, and slowly brought him down to sit on the cold concrete floor of the tower. Byleth’s arms snaked around her middle as he sobbed into her shoulder, letting all of his emotions that he’s been bottling up pour out.

Mercedes did nothing but hum an old hymn and stroke his hair gently, letting her own tears flow. She knew that Byleth would be alright. He just needed a shoulder.


	2. Alois

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alois finds Byleth fishing his sorrows away.
> 
> They have a chat.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've been sitting on this chapter since I posted this fic, and it's finally coming to fruition! 
> 
> This chapter is a bit shorter and felt more like a smaller character study of Alois rather than about Byleth. (Granted, you could say that about this whole fic lol)
> 
> Without further ado, here's Alois' part!

Alois may have been a bit of a charlatan, but he knew when it was time to be serious. This was one of those times. 

He had been keeping a careful eye on Byleth after Jeralt’s death. It wasn’t easy. After all as Alois was a knight and a father, he knew when people were trying to stay strong for the sake of their image, the people, or even just themselves. He knew that it was a matter of time before they broke.

Alois just finished a meal with Catherine and Shamir. He always loved eating with his fellow knights since it always raised his spirits, but it wasn’t as lively as it usually was and it didn’t take a genius to figure out why. 

As they left the dining hall from the south entrance, they could see the professor from the steps, fishing from the modest pier. His boots were off, his trousers rolled up to his knees, his legs dangling from the edge of the pier. Alois recognized it immediately. It was what Jeralt did when he just wanted to waste time and not be bothered by the outside world. 

Apparently, Alois was so intensely focused on the professor, he missed whatever Catherine had said.

“Oh, forgive me, Catherine! I didn’t quite catch that,” he apologized.

“I said that you should probably go talk to him. I’m sure he’d appreciate the company,” Catherine repeated, a hand on his shoulder. Shamir nodded at her side.

“Oh, I don’t know about that. What if he just ignores me?” Alois furrowed his brow in aprehension. He didn’t want to overstep his bounds by just plopping down next to the mourning professor.

“Alois.” He looked at the purple-haired archer, frown prevalent on his lips. “You were the closest one to his father. Tell him stories. Make your dumb jokes. He needs it.” Shamir’s stoic visage melted into concern for a moment before snapping back into seriousness. It caught Alois off-guard, but he didn’t say anything about it. He looked back to Catherine. She nodded her approval. Alois heaved a heavy sigh, and nodded. 

“I’ll do my best for him then.”

The knights were satisfied with his answer, walking off towards the marketplace at the base of the monastery, leaving Alois alone staring at Byleth from the base of the pier. Alois shook his head before taking careful steps towards the professor. He sat on the edge of the pier next to the professor. He chanced a glance at him and noticed that Byleth’s eyes were red-rimmed and puffy from crying. Byleth just handed Alois another fishing pole without looking up. Alois took it.

The two sat together in slight awkward silence, letting the water fill the silence. They stayed like this until Byleth spoke up.

“What was he like?” Alois jumped slightly at the question, not expecting it from his comrade. He looked at the professor and noticed that his hair had fallen over his eyes. Alois let his eyes focus back onto the water.

“What was he like, huh? Well, Jeralt always had this air of calm around him. Like, no matter what was going on during a battle or after we had just come back from one, you knew that it would be alright because Jeralt was there. Some said that it was just his natural confidence leaking out. Others said it was his raw strength. I disagreed with both.” Alois explained, watching his line in the water. Byleth hadn’t moved. “I thought it was his kindness.” That got a reaction. Byleth’s head raised, and he stared at the older knight, silently prodding to continue.

“Jeralt was never the type to wear his feelings on his sleeve, of course. But whenever we were in the midst of a battle, he made certain that he was paying attention to everyone and everything. Shouting encouragement and advice from where he rode. After battles and after he was taken care of, he went around and brought flowers and snacks to the other injured knights to help cheer them up.” Alois grinned at the memories. “Hell, one time, I had broken both my left arm AND my left leg after I fell from a rooftop.” Alois could barely contain his laughter. “And after we had gotten back to the infirmary -snrk- Jeralt came over to my bed, took one look at me and said that it looked like I would be all right!” Alois gave a deep belly laugh at his late friend’s pun. From his side, he heard the professor give a light, slightly wet laugh. And then it got louder. And louder still. And it grew into a full-on guffaw, tears running down his face. Alois’ smile almost broke his face. Byleth was  _ laughing _ . Alois swore he saw a student or two stop, mouths agape.

After a few seconds, their laughter died down, leaving them in a comfortable silence. Byleth chose to speak up again.

“Thank you, Alois. That….really helped.” Alois glanced at the professor, and his eyes widened slightly in shock. Byleth was smiled broadly, tears still flowing from his eyes. Alois cleared his throat, swallowing a break in his voice.

“Anytime, Professor. Anytime at all.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ngl, this brought me a little closer to tears than the last chapter did. Mostly because this hit a tad closer to home than I expected.
> 
> Nevertheless, I've already chosen the next person for this fic, and I'll give you a hint:.....glasses
> 
> See you later!!!


	3. Ignatz

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ignatz wanted to spend this evening painting.
> 
> He does, but with some added company.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one was a lot of fun to write! Ignatz is personally one of my absolute favorites. ( he's also the only one I recruited in my first play-through of the game lol)
> 
> Regardless, I always admired his absolute kindness whenever he spoke to anyone. It was really sweet to see, honestly.
> 
> This one takes some liberties with what Byleth can/can't do so be wary of that!!
> 
> Anyway, here ya go!!

Igantz has always been an observant individual. He knew when to sneak a couple of candies into Lysithea’s book bag when she was struggling. He saw when Marianne’s smallest of smiles graced her features. Hell, he even knew when Claude was having a rough time, and the only other person who could ever tell was Hilda. The only one Ignatz couldn’t get a read on was his Professor, Byleth. Granted, nobody  _ really  _ could except for Jeralt.

So when he found the professor in the spot where he usually paints, Ignatz was unsure to say the least.

“P-professor?” Ignatz took a step towards his professor. Byleth was currently sitting down on the grass, cross-legged, giving the horizon a thousand-meter stare. “Professor..!” Ignatz raised his voice ever so slightly.

It worked because the professor’s body tensed just a bit. Byleth didn’t turn towards Ignatz.

“What do you need, Ignatz?” It was just a simple question, but Ignatz could feel depths of emotion from it. 

“I...wanted to practice my hobby… the sun is going to set soon and I wanted to paint the colors.” Ignatz answered, approaching the left hand side of his teacher. Byleth stared ever forward, eyes unblinking. But Ignatz saw the sheen of tears in his eyes, and the tear tracks below those. Ignatz chose not to mention them as he set up his easel with practiced care. After all, he already knew the reason behind them.

Ignatz took a deep breath and let it out slowly. And he began to paint. 

He took out a palette of reds, pinks, yellows, and oranges as he began to paint, letting his hands paint what his eyes saw. His brush kissed the canvas with grace and affection, hours of hard work and practice showing through. Ignatz fell into his happy little world of painting, letting his soul wander freely. 

However, part of the way through the painting, he felt someone watching him. Ignatz glanced at his professor and was met with Byleth staring at his painting.

“P-professor…?” Ignatz gulped. “Do you want to paint with me?” He surprised himself with his own question. “I mean you don’t have to! I thought since you didn’t have any other hobbies beyond fishing I thought that you’d like to-”

“Sure. I’d love to,” Byleth cut in. Ignatz stopped his mutter spree to look at the professor. Usually, Byleth maintained a professional stoicism on his visage, but Ignatz saw what could almost be child-like wonder. Ignatz gave a warm smile. 

“Wait right here. I have a spare easel back in my room. As well as extra supplies and a canvas.” With that said, Ignatz rushed back to his quarters for the extra paints, brushes and easel.

A few short minutes later, Ignatz returned with the supplies in hand. He set up the spare next to his own easel with the extra canvas, and placed the brushes in a jar next to it.

“Have you ever drawn or painted before, Professor?” Ignatz asked. He knew his teacher came from a band of mercenaries, so he didn’t exactly know if he knew how to paint or draw for that matter.

“I’ve drawn maps and such. Never had the tools to paint with.” Byleth replied, picking up a brush and a pencil in each hand, studying them quizzically.

“Ah, I see! Well, would you like to know the basics?” Ignatz offered kindly. But the professor declined the offer, shaking his head. “Okay! That’s alright!” Ignatz cheerfully responded. 

“I do have one question. How do I know what to draw or paint?” Ignatz quirked his eyebrows at the sudden question, glancing at the professor again. Byleth’s brows were furrowed as he attempted to burn a hole through the canvas.

“Hm. That’s a good question.” Ignatz paused and thought for a moment. “When I first started painting, I usually just did whatever my heart chose for me. So, I’d tell you, just go with your heart!” Ignatz turned back to his professor and smiled. After a moment’s pondering, the professor nodded and started to pencil in some lines. Satisfied, Ignatz turned his attention back to his own painting and continued.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

After a while, the sun was shining its last rays over the horizon, sinking into dusk and nightfall. 

Ignatz had finished his painting, and felt immensely pleased with himself. The oranges and pinks complimented perfectly when composed with the reds and yellows of the dusk. He gave a sigh and turned to his teacher to see what he had done.

His voice caught in his throat.

On the canvas was a bust pencil drawing of Jeralt, done in quite a bit of detail. The striking brown eyes that gave off an intense aura of ferocity as well as kind and gentle caring for others. A soft smile graced Jeralt’s face, making the portrait radiate light. His facial scar and hair almost felt real to touch.

“You said to draw what my heart told me,” Byleth spoke up, a smile on his lips as tears travelled down his cheeks. “And...he was what it told me to draw.”

Ignatz turned away to wipe his eyes and clear his throat.

“I….I think he would’ve loved this, Professor. I really do.” Ignatz’s voice bled with sincerity and kindness. “I didn’t know Jeralt all that well. But from what I remember, he always looked so proud of you. The way you taught everyone and genuinely cared for us? I have no doubt that he loved you. He’s really proud of you.”

Byleth looked stunned for a moment, not sure how to respond. Instead, his tears answered for him, starting once more as he pulled Ignatz close into a hug.

“Thank you Ignatz.” Ignatz returned the embrace.

“We’re here for you, Professor Byleth. Always.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And chapter 3 is finished!! 
> 
> I'm not gonna lie, I'm not a fan of having chapters less than 1,000 words, but for these I make an exception because they always end right when I need them to, and if I embellish anymore, it takes away from the scene.
> 
> Anyways, thanks again for reading! I've already got chapter 4's character randomly chosen and I'll give you a hint: thunder...thunder...THUNDERCATS HOOOOOOOO!
> 
> (god that's a dated ass reference)
> 
> Thank you for reading and see you next time!!


	4. Catherine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Catherine spars with Byleth.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love Catherine with all my heart, but MAN this chapter was difficult to write!! 
> 
> It's mostly because I wasn't 100% on how it needed to go, but I think it turned out pretty okay??
> 
> Regardless, here you all go!!

Catherine isn’t the most tactical person in F ódlan by a long shot. Her tactical prowess ended with just her charging headlong into the foray while Shamir supported her from the background, raining arrows on foes who got too close.

But it didn’t take a tactical mind like Linhardt or Hubert to understand that Professor Byleth was acting more reckless than usual. He was rushing into battles like she did, the only difference is that he went alone. Fortunately, he always won his battles, however, he returned with more and more injuries. It was almost as if he was trying to get himself killed. 

It was all but confirmed when Catherine caught the professor training mere hours after he returned from a bandit routing. True to her word, she had been watching the fairly new professor since his hiring as a teacher. By now, she knew the way he moved with his sword. It was brutal, but efficient. Strategically slicing his way through enemies without so much as a second guess. But since his father’s murder, she noticed that his swings were wilder, more dangerous. She’d expect to see this kind of fighting from Caspar or even Raphael, but to see this from Byleth was unthinkable. She emerged from her hiding place.

“Hey killer! You up for a quick spar?” Catherine greeted the teal-haired teacher. He huffed a breath and turned towards her. It was worse than she thought. Byleth had deep purple bags under his eyes, his skin was paler than usual, his eyes themselves were unfocused and weary. “Professor? You don’t look so good, bud.” 

“I’m fine, Catherine. You wanted to spar?” Byleth reflected, walking towards a weapons stand and grabbing two training swords, before tossing one to her. Catherine huffed a sigh. 

“On my mark. One, two, three, GO!” Catherine didn’t even attempt to ready her blade as Byleth came rushing at her. She didn’t need to. The professor’s swings were wild and inaccurate, so she easily just dodged and weaved out of the way of his strikes. He didn’t fight like the trained mercenary she had come to respect. He fought like a knight with no hope for survival. Once she was tired of it, she parried his next slash, before shoulder charging him. His blade was thrown from his grasp as he crashed to the floor of the training hall, Catherine’s sword aimed at this throat.

“You’re not fighting like the so-called ‘Ashen Demon’, Byleth,” She said evenly. “When we fought before, you never let anyone get that close. You’re off your game.” Byleth’s hair hid his eyes. His lips were turned in a harsh frown. She tossed her sword away and knelt next to him. “Fighting like that won’t bring him back, y’know.”

Byleth flinched at her words. His fists clenched.

“I can understand what you’re going through. I’ve lost countless friends and fellow knights to battles. It never gets any easier. Seeing the broken faces of their friends and families as we tell them how they fell in battle. It’s heartbreaking.” She sat next to him now, watching as Byleth let himself relax a little more, hair still obscuring his eyes. She continued. “But they continue to live on, because they know that it’s what they need to do. That throwing their lives away isn’t what the dead would have wanted.” She paused. His frown grew deeper. She moved his hair from his eyes and saw his sapphire eyes leaking tears. “Being that reckless in battle isn’t what Jeralt would’ve wanted. He knows you’re better than that.”

Byleth gulped before turning his head from her grasp. 

“If I was stronger, I could’ve stopped them,” Byleth lamented, his voice shaking as if a stiff breeze could knock it over.

“Yeah. Maybe,” Catherine stated bluntly, staring straight ahead. Byleth turned his gaze back on his comrade with a start, his eyes wide with surprise and mouth agape in shock. “Or maybe you would’ve died in his place. More than likely, fate wouldn't let that battle go without someone perishing. I'm glad it wasn't you." Catherine looked back at the professor, her blue eyes soft. “You have kids who need you. The knights need you. And I need you too honestly.” A pink blush dusted on their respective faces. “You’re really the only one who can give me a genuine fight,” Catherine laughed lightly, her hand rubbing the back of her neck.

And, against all odds, Byleth laughed. It was small, but it was a laugh.

“I’m sure someone like Felix could give you a decent fight,” Byleth commented, a half-smile on his face.

“Yeah, but he doesn’t have the same fighting spirit as you do. It’s not as interesting!” Catherine replied. With the professor in higher spirits, she felt like she had done her job. She stood up, dusted herself off, and held out a hand towards the professor. “Come on, Professor Byleth. You’ve got people waiting for you.” Byleth looked up at his friend, her smile radiating kindness and hope. 

He reached out and took her hand.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ahhhh wasn't that fun!! Added a little of the shipping fuel to that one ;3
> 
> ANYWAY
> 
> I can tell y'all right now that next chapter is going to be a fucking DOOZY
> 
> I'll give you a hint: Cheese 
> 
> Have fun and see ya next time!! :3!!


	5. Dimitri

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dimitri sees his professor show a new anger on the battlefield.
> 
> Dimitri takes it into his own hands.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> IT'S TIME FOR CHEESE MAN!!!!!
> 
> Once the wheel spun and chose him, I IMMEDIATELY set to work. I have to update a couple of other fics, but I HAD to write this first. This is also the longest chapter thus far so HELL YEAH
> 
> Expect the chatfic and Second Try to be updated during this week as well!!
> 
> Anyhow, HERE YA GO!

Dimitri has always been a formidable foe on the battlefield. Granted, that could be said for just about everyone at Garreg Mach. But the professor has always been something different. He was a mercenary of course, so Dimitri knew that Byleth’s way of fighting was grittier and was primarily focused on survival by any means necessary.

That being said, he’d never seen his professor fight quite like this.

The class was their way to a skirmish outside of Garreg Mach. Some brigands were invading the adjacent lands and so the professor decided to have the class rout the enemy. What the class didn’t expect was a surprise visit by those same mysterious soldiers who stole Jeralt from them.

They also didn’t expect their professor to charge into the fray so blindly. The minute he registered their assailants as the same from before, he tore off from the formation, his enhanced steel sword unsheathed from his belt.

Dimitri and his class could only watch in mounting horror as their beloved professor fell into a blind, bloody rage. Byleth’s sword swung through the air indiscriminately, felling the mysterious force that besieged them. His coat was starting to stain red with the warm blood of the fallen foes, a war cry bellowing from within his gut. Byleth threw his blade into the chest of the captain before rushing him, grabbing the hilt and pushing the blade the rest of the way into the ground, even going as far as to pierce the earth itself.

Dimitri recognized the look his professor had when he cut down his enemies. It was the very same face he saw himself having in his own nightmares. It felt strange seeing that look on the normally stoic face of Professor Byleth. Dimitri swallowed.

After what felt like ages, the battle finally halted. The professor was huffing and puffing, his chest heaving. He pulled his sword from the body of the fallen leader, flicked the loose blood from it, and turned to look at everyone else. 

He looked almost...regretful. Byleth approached his class. 

“Head back to the monastery. Get some rest,” He announced before making his way back to the monastery, alone.

The class looked at one another before following him, talking in hushed whispers to one another. All except Dimitri. He could only stare at the massacre that Byleth led. It was so unlike him. It’s almost as if he was only acting in pure rage.

“He reminded me of you, boar.”

Dimitri jumped a tad before acknowledging his classmate and long-time “friend”, Felix Fraldarius. 

“Oh? Is that so?” Dimitri pried ever so slightly.”

“He’s still in mourning,” Felix’s face betrayed the slightest amount of empathy towards his professor before he wiped it away. “The professor saw the enemy who was responsible for taking Jeralt away and acted to what his instincts wanted: Kill every last one of them.” Felix’s words sent chills down Dimitri’s spine. It felt almost as if it were an omen. “He’s strong. But that kind of rage can whittle down even the most resilient of people. Isn’t that right, boar prince?” Felix’s cat-like eyes flicked to Dimitri’s face, eyes focused and intense. Dimitri said nothing and set his jaw. 

“Professor Byleth wouldn’t lose himself to his rage,” Dimitri retorted.

“Maybe not. But you and I both saw what happened today,” Felix stated as he began to walk towards Garreg Mach. “It’s only a matter of time before the Professor starts to become a true demon. Once that happens, there will be nothing stopping the bloodshed that follows.”

Dimitri couldn’t find the words to reply, so he just stared back at the battle, worrying for his professor.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It was the night after that battle. Most everyone else in the monastery had gone to sleep. All save for Dimitri. His nightmares plagued him once more, and they were more aggressive than usual. He couldn’t place whether it was because of the way his professor fought, or the way it reminded him of himself. He shook the thoughts from his head, putting on some of his loungewear/training gear and headed towards the training hall. If he couldn’t sleep, Dimitri always knew that training could always put him to bed.

However, as he approached the hall, he heard the grunts and yells of someone else. Someone familiar. Dimitri gulped before slowly opening the door to the hall. And there he saw his professor, in the same state from the battle earlier today: eyes blazing with rage, hackles raised like a wolf, and teeth bared. It’s surprising to see the professor show any emotion, but it’s downright fear-inducing to see him this plainly angry.

It was at that moment that Dimitri’s feet decided to tangle themselves, and he fell facefirst onto the dusty training floor with a resounding whump, arms outstretched above his head.

Byleth’s head snapped around as he readies a training sword to strike at the intruder, but he was only met with Dimitri on the floor.

“.....Dimitri what are you doing?” Byleth deadpanned, rage seeping out of him. Dimitri pulled himself back to his feet, wiping the dust from his training uniform. Clearing his throat, he responded.

“I couldn’t sleep so I wanted to get some training in. It helps me fall asleep,” Dimitri’s cheeks glowed red as he explained, embarrassment shooting anxiety through his body. “But it seems the training hall, was occupied by you.” Byleth nodded, taking in his words. 

“You really should be resting, Dimitri. We have class fairly early,” Byleth stated, his face schooling into the blank stare to which Dimitri was accustomed to. However, Dimitri couldn’t just sleep now. His professor was in the training hall, fighting with the same bloodlust he had seen before. Dimitri knew why.

“Spar with me and I’ll go to bed,” Dimtri offered. He had no idea why he would say that. But Dedue nor Ingrid were here, so Dimtri had no one to tell him how much of a bad idea this was. However, to the prince’s surprise, he saw the professor walk over to a rack, grab a training lance and throw to the prince, which Dimitri deftly caught. 

“One round. No more,” Byleth answered, taking his usual fighting stance. Dimitri took his stance as well. And by an unheard count, they took off, lance and sword meeting in the middle.

For a few seconds, Dimitri went on the offensive, swinging his lance around, trying to catch the professor off-guard. But Byleth was always one step ahead, blocking and parrying before slashing at Dimitri. It went like this for a while. 

Dimitri wanted to help his professor. He was never good with delicate task such as sewing or talking about sensitive subjects, but he always tried. ‘It’s why they all admire you, Your Highness,’ Sylvain had once told him in his not-so-rare moments of wisdom that he had when he wasn’t skirt-chasing. So as they fought, Dimitri racked his brain to figure out how to help the professor. The metaphorical candle ignited, and so Dimitri had an idea, but it meant abandoning some old ideals of knighthood.

Dimitri fought dirty.

Byleth took the offense and swung his wooden sword in a slash, which Dimitri blocked and then the prince used a leg to kick some dust in his professor’s eyes. Byleth instinctively closed his eyes, hopping backward to get his bearings right. Dimitri charged him, smacking his professor across the face with the butt of lance, giving the professor a thin cut across his cheek. Byleth growled, shoulder-checking Dimitri before slashing at his student once more, catching Dimitri’s skull, giving him a small cut on his forehead.

“Never thought the prince would play dirty,” Byleth’s voice rumbled. His anger was coming back little by little. Dimitri gulped slightly, his plan was working, but he would get the worst chewing out by Mercedes, Ingrid, and Dedue tomorrow. Dimitri didn’t respond, except for closing the distance once more, slashing at his professor with the business end of his lance. Byleth responded by grabbing the lance past its point and breaking the tip with his hand before swinging with his own training sword. Dimitri grabbed it with his free hand and snapped it in half with his own ungodly strength. 

Byleth’s eyes widened in surprise at the prince, he didn’t expect this kind of fight with the heir to the throne. Dimitri took this pause, rearing his head back and slamming his head into his professor’s for a headbutt. His teeth rattled in his skull as he struck his professor. They separated, the professor was wincing slightly from the pain before glaring at the student, his rage returned. While it wasn’t the hatred that Byleth had during the battle, Dimitri could see that his teacher was rightfully pissed.

Byleth charged at Dimitri, going for a left hook. Dimitri raised his arms to block, but was met with a stomach blow as the professor sunk his fist into Dimitri’s gut. The prince’s lungs were robbed of air as the hit connected. After a slight pause, Dimitri retaliated with a punch of his own and was met with a block, so Dimitri slid and landed an elbow to the professor’s already bleeding cheek. Byleth staggered slightly before swinging a fist upward in an uppercut which Dimitri dodged. 

Their simple spar had devolved into an exchange of brutal hits and fists. Both fighters kept throwing hits and charges, some hitting, others being blocked or dodged altogether. 

It got to the point where Dimitri and his professor were bruised, out of breath, and slightly bloody. Dimitri sported a nasty black eye while the professor had a broken nose probably a couple of broken ribs from where Dimitri had gotten a chest punch in.

They were breathing heavily, sweat pouring from their bodies. They rushed in once more to exchange blows. Their dominant hands pulled into fists before launching a punch at the other’s head. The fists connected on the other’s chin and the training hall echoed with the slap of the fists against skin. And for a moment, everything was still.

Then Byleth staggered and fell to his knees, followed by Dimitri.

“Ha...I...huhh…finally got you….Professor…” Dimitri huffed, a smile teasing his features. Byleth huffed a short laugh himself.

“It seems….you.. Have,” Byleth chuckled once more, wincing as he held his sides. “I wonder….who’ll be more upset...Manuela because we’re injured ...or Seteth because we...fought like this.” A grin spread across Byleth’s face in amusement.

“I’m more worried about Dedue and Ingrid. I am not positive I can handle Dedue’s disappointment,” Dimitri laughed lightly at the idea of his lashing he’ll get from his fellow lions. Byleth began to laugh out loud and that shocked the prince even more than the fight they just had. It was mesmerizing.

“Ahh… that was funny,” Byleth winced again, his ribs acting up. “I’ve got to wonder, Dimitri. You never fight like that. Why do that now?” Byleth gave a look of curiosity to his student. Dimitri looked away in slight shame.

“Well, Professor, I couldn’t stop thinking about how...angry and sad you looked earlier today when we fought those mysterious soldiers,” Dimitri admitted, his eyes focused on the sweaty ground next to him. “It reminded me a lot of….me…” He glanced at his professor warily, and the man in question had his head tilted ever so slightly in confusion. He was like a puppy sometimes. “Felix has called me the boar prince more times than once. And he’s not far off… I become an animal on the battlefield when I let myself get into the fight.”

“I’ve noticed you get a tad angry and violent at times. Like when we went to Remire Village,” Byleth noted. Dimitri nodded and continued.

“I know what I see in my sleep, and I didn’t want you to suffer how I have. So I thought that fighting to your fullest would help...satiate that anger…” Dimitri sheepishly explained, blush rising to his cheeks in embarrassment. Byleth’s expression softened at his student's attempt at kindness.

“Dimitri,” Byleth began. Dimitri looked up and his professor pulled him into a deep hug. He smelled of forests and fresh earth. “Thank you.” He pulled back, tears shining in his eyes.

“Professor… you’re…” Dimitri resisted the urge to cry himself at his professor’s face. It was shimmering with gratitude.

“I’m still upset and angry at those who killed my father, but...I feel a lot better. You’ve helped me a great deal, Dimitri,” Byleth said, warmth oozing from his words.

“Professor....y-you’re welcome,” Dimitri replied, his own tears falling from his face. 

So they both sat there, smiling at one another, tears falling. They forged a bond that only they could forge. They’d survive and help each other. Whenever they could.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oho?? Two chapters placed in the training hall? Wild.
> 
> You can also pull buff byleth from my cold dead fucking hands
> 
> I'm gonna focus a little more on Second try and the chatfic before I write the next chapter of this one!
> 
> But I will give you all the obligatory hint: stacks of steaks and cakes!!
> 
> Hope to see you all again next time!!


	6. Annette

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Annette bakes for Byleth

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's my birthday today, so here's a chapter!! Featuring Annette!!
> 
> While I love Annette so much (I married her in my BL play through), I'm not entirely sure I did her justice, so I hope you all like it!!

Annette couldn’t find it in herself to rest after what had happened. Her professor’s father was killed right in front of him. His life was stolen by some unknown evil force. It was heartbreaking to witness. She couldn’t imagine what would happen if…

She shook her head out of her own sadness. It wasn’t time for her to be sad. Today was about the professor.

She had spent all day in the kitchen baking. She wanted to bake a lot of sweets and treats for her professor after all that had happened. At first, the head chef stood in the back and watched the slightly, scatterbrained redhead, but when she saw that Annette was taking her careful time and not just rushing through everything or being careless, she left the student alone.

“Mmm...that should be enough…” Annette muttered as she pulled the tray of her favorite comfort cookies out of the oven and tested it’s firmness by poking it. “Perfect!” She squealed in delight. The professor was going to love these! She carefully took them from the tray and placed them in a basket that she had brought for this task. She hummed softly to herself as she continued to stuff her basket with all of the baked goods it could carry. Annette soon finished her task and walked outside of the kitchens into the dining hall. It was a bit after dinner, so most of the monks and students had already left to either train, study, or relax the last bit of the day away doing whatever they pleased. Annette found the head chef and thanked her for letting her bake with a promise to pay her back soon enough.

The bubbly redhead’s normal mood was muted. She was incredibly worried about her professor. Professor Byleth had been nothing but kind, patient, and understanding with her and her quirks. His soft smile and nod when she got something right, the kind tone he adopted when correcting her, and even the soft headchops that she earned when she was distracted by something else, those things always made her feel warm inside and almost giddy. She raised a hand to her face and felt heat radiating off of it. Was she blushing? Annette groaned outloud as she tried to shake the blush away. She didn’t have time to get a crush on her professor who was  _ definitely _ at least three years older than her. Even if they did share a dance and a wish in the goddess tower. She groaned even louder.

Annette soon found herself at the entrance to Professor Byleth’s room. It was now or never. She closed her eyes and raised her hand to knock on the door but was met with knocking on Byleth’s rather firm chest. Upon not hearing the wood resonate with it’s usual cadence, she opened her eyes and saw the professor staring down at her quizzically. 

“Ah! Professor Byleth!” She gasped in surprise at his sudden appearance.

“Annette,” Byleth almost rasped. Annette could’ve sworn it was like he was crying moments before. Upon closer inspection, the redhead knew it was true. His eyes were red rimmed and his cheeks were lined with tear tracks. Annette’s own eyes started to water.

“I-I...um... wanted to bake you something...since..e-everything that happened. I thought you could use a bit of a pick-me-up…” Annette cleared her throat, looking away from her professor, a blush rising from her neck. She held out the basket of cookies. “Eating cookies usually helps me feel better,” She added. Byleth huffed out his nose and gave a small, sad smile.

“Thank you, Annette. Would you care to help me eat these? I can brew some tea?” The professor offered standing aside. The mage had to admit that the offer was rather enticing. 

“A-are you sure, sir?” Annette asked hesitantly, her nerves getting the better of her for a moment. Byleth simply nodded in affirmation. She carefully walked inside his room.

It was practically spotless, save for a couple of open tomes and lesson plans. Byleth set the cookies down on his dresser and cleared the nearby table and pulled a spare chair from his closet. Annette smiled to herself. It’s almost as if he’s ready to have tea at a moment’s notice. She grabbed the basket of cookies and set it in the middle of the table as he prepared the tea. Her nose picked up the light, sweet scent of her favorite blend.

“Oooh! I love the rose petal blend!” She cheered happily, bouncing lightly in her seat. The professor gave a soft smile towards her, full of warmth and kindness. She felt her heart skip a beat.

“I’m glad. It’s one of my favorites too,” Byleth smiled. After the tea was finished, he poured them both a cup of the sweet-smelling blend. Annette gladly accepted her cup.

“Thank you for having me, Professor,” She gave a small toothy grin to her teacher. Byleth gave another soft smile.

“Of course. It’s my pleasure.” Byleth took a sip of his tea, letting the warmth overtake his body. It was nice to have this moment of peace. 

Their conversation skirted and danced around the obvious elephant in the room. Just lingering on softer topics such as schoolwork and old research tomes. Eventually Annette remembered why she came here in the first place.

“Oh! Professor! You haven’t tried any of the cookies yet!” She exclaimed. The professor blinked as he processed her words.

“You’re right, I haven’t. I’m sorry, Annette,” he bows his head in apology towards the redhead. She immediately shakes her head.

“I-It’s okay! I swear! Just try one!” Annette deflected, waving her hands. The professor nodded and reached into the basket and grabbed one. “It’s a recipe I learned right here at the monastery! One of the lady monks here showed me the recipe and helped me bake some of my first batches! They turned out a little burnt, but she was patient enough with me to help me master it, and now I feel great about them!” She explained excitedly, as the professor munched on his cookie. After she finished, she turned her attention back to her teacher and she felt tears well up in her eyes at the sight.

Professor Byleth was staring at the cookie and crying.

“P-professor… are you okay?” She scolded herself for asking such a dumb, obvious question. Her teacher didn’t respond for a moment.

“My father used to bake these for us when we had a successful week. They were his favorite,” his voice cracked ever so slightly at the memories. Annette felt her own tears start spilling over. “They taste….so good…” Byleth’s head fell as his hair covered his eyes. His body began shaking with his sobs as the memories flooded him. Annette couldn’t take it anymore. She stood up and practically tackled him into a hug, her rather small arms wrapping around his broad shoulders. Byleth’s body jolted when she hugged him, surprised by the contact, but he put his cookie down and wrapped his own arms around her. 

“I-it’s o-okay to cry, Professor! I don’t care! C-cry all you need to!” She said through her own body-wracking sobs. “W-we’ll always be he-here to take care of you! I’ll bake you all the sweets you could ever want!” Byleth just held her closer. Normally, Annette would be an embarrassed mess, but the professor needed her.

“Thank you, Annette...thank you,” Byleth blubbered.

  
“We’ll always be here…. _ I’ll _ always be here, Professor. No matter what. Please don’t forget that.” She could feel Byleth nod into her shoulder. They stayed in each other’s embrace for awhile, just letting the other cry. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not *too* fond of how this chapter turned out, but it's still a chapter! Can only go up from here!!
> 
> I've already spun my wheel and I'll give ya a hint: You're like a bee  
(that's vague enough, yeah?)
> 
> Anyway, onward to the next chapter!!


	7. Dorothea

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dorothea and Byleth have tea.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one was probably the closest I've gotten to tears! Dorothea is a big favorite of mine because of her dynamic with the professor and the students. She's really amazing!!
> 
> Regardless, this is a chapter I'm pretty psyched about! Hope you enjoy!

The professor has always been an enigma to Dorothea. Not to sound overly cliche, but he wasn’t really like the other men in her life. That said, none of the men in Black Eagles, Blue Lions, or Golden Deer were like other men. Except for maybe Sylvain, but Dorothea can tell his smile and flirting aren’t really genuine. But the professor was his own little puzzle. He was tall, mysterious, strikingly handsome, kind, and surprisingly, a bit of a smooth talker. He proved that earlier in the year when he offered to wed her. Dorothea’s skipped a bit when he said that.

But that was before Jeralt died. 

And now the professor was just a shell of his former self. His face was almost always frowning, but not the usual frown. This one was only sadness and despair. He would teach, but his voice was hardly even there anymore. Immediately after lessons, he would retreat into his quarters, go fishing, or visit his father’s grave. His movements looked like a slug in mud. The most painful was his eyes. Gone was the spark of life that she grew to love. Instead his eyes were glazed over, as if he himself wasn’t in control of his body. They were unfocused, and always on the verge of tears. It hurt Dorothea to see her professor in a state. But what could she do?

Dorothea pondered this on the way to the gazebo. She was headed there to unwind in the chilly weather with a nice cup of tea. It was a little after dinner, and most of the students that lingered were either doing a little bit of training, studying, or relaxing the day away doing all sorts of other things, so she wouldn’t have to worry about being interrupted. However, the universe or the goddess decided to not let her be alone, because there was the professor, sitting at the table where they shared tea together a few times before, sipping quietly while giving the hedges surrounding a thousand yard stare. Dorothea stopped abruptly. His back was to her, but she could see his shoulders were slumped. Professor Byleth probably wanted to get away from everyone. Dorothea felt her heart ache for her instructor. She gulped, and approached.

“Professor?” She asked, her voice soft, as if the professor was stained glass. The professor’s shoulders rose slightly, and a hand rose to his face. Dorothea looked away.

“Dorothea. How can I help you?” The professor asked, turning his head slightly towards her. The mage turned back to him, her green eyes soft with empathy, but a small smile adorned her features. 

“I was just wanting to see if you’d like to share some tea with me? Maybe unwind?” She said, stepping closer to the table. Dorothea could now see the slight puffiness of Byleth’s eyes and the tear stains trailing down his cheeks. She resisted the urge to frown. Byleth stared down at his cup before nodding quietly. Dorothea made her way to the opposite side of the table, settling herself down with a cup of water and her favorite tea. 

“Actually, I was already drinking sweet-apple. May I?” Dorothea smiled, handing her cup to the professor, who emptied out onto the grass behind them and poured her a glass before heating it up a smidge with some fire magic.

“Oh, professor! You certainly know how to make a girl feel welcome,” Dorothea giggled, accepting her cup back from her professor and taking a nice sip. “And the perfect temperature too! You’re certainly a talented teamaster, hm?” She winked at the teal-haired man. Byleth just gave a smile back. 

They sat in peaceful silence, drinking their tea. Professor Byleth continued to stare into the bushes, as if it would hold the answers he sought. Dorothea kept sneaking glances. He truly was handsome. That jawline was something that she kept in her mind for…specific reasons. She shook her head slightly.  _ Focus, Thea! Now isn’t time to thirst for your professor. _ Byleth took notice of the shaking. 

“Oh. I’m sorry. I haven’t been a good host, it seems,” the ex-mercenary apologized, bowing. Dorothea simply waved him off.

“Oh, it’s alright! You do seem to have a lot on your mind, however. Maybe...talking will help?” In a flash, the professor’s wall was put up. His gaze hardened slightly as he looked at Dorothea. It took all of her will not to flinch and thankfully she could blame her rosy cheeks on the brisk air and warmth of the tea.  _ Dammit. _ “Well if you won’t talk, maybe you might listen.” She sighed slightly. 

“We’re incredibly worried about you, Professor. You’re upset and saddened, understandably. Your father just died.” Byleth flinched slightly at the mention, and he turned away from her to stare at the bushes again, his hair obscuring his eyes. Dorothea pressed on. “Mourning is healthy and needed. It shows your humanity. You’re allowed to be upset, Professor. But it’s starting to affect you mentally. It’s almost like you’re not even on this earth. It’s as if your body is here but your soul is in the clouds.” She swallowed, her own tears starting to build up. She was determined to not let them show. “It’s scary. We’ve noticed how… reckless you’ve gotten on our combat missions. Charging in blindly, not caring about your wounds or yourself. I’m scared, Byleth.” Byleth froze at the use of his given name. The air felt colder on her cheeks. Dorothea figured that her tears were flowing. “I-I’m scared that you’ll charge in...and not come back out.” Byleth swallowed hard. He was trembling slightly. “You’re not alone. Please.” She reached out to grab his hand that was resting on the table. His hands were cold and rough with callouses and battles. She held it like it could break any second. “Let us help. Let  _ me _ help.” She begged. 

It was silent for a moment. Dorothea could only hear her own breathing as she clutched the professor’s hand for dear life. She felt a movement from the hand she held. It shifted until it was grasping hers tightly, but not roughly. Dorothea gasped gently and looked up at the man and saw him looking at her with tears flowing freely. Her own tears poured down her cheeks. 

“Dorothea. I’m...so sorry. I’m sorry for worrying you. I’m...sorry,” Byleth bowed his head once more, sobbing quietly. The mage leaned in and kissed his hand softly, before resting her forehead on it. 

“It’s okay, Byleth. You’re going to be okay. I’m here. I won’t leave you. We’ll protect each other.” Byleth held her hand tighter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HOOOOOOO BOY! What a trip, amiright? I'm all sorts of soft for these two. 
> 
> I also want to address something I've been thinking about for a time! Some of these chapters are going to be similar in many ways to one another. There is just a lot of characters with similar tastes and such that I enjoy the dynamic of. So if there is some overlap, please forgive me! I'll do my best to limit that as much as I can! Thank you all for understanding!
> 
> Here's next chapter's hint: I am
> 
> ......yeah that's it. That's all you get.
> 
> Anyway, thank you all for reading! See you all next time!!


	8. Ferdinand

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ferdinand does what he knows.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I swear to Sothis I'm alive!!!
> 
> I'm incredibly sorry about the delay for this chapter! Holiday hours, lack of motivation, and just all the video games I've been playing have really hindered my focus!
> 
> But I should be here for another long while! I'll be HOPEFULLY updating FETH: Modern AU Chatfic soon! I have the general structure of that chapter already in mind! (It's just me writing it now lmaooooo)
> 
> BUT here ya go! That good good Ferdie chapter!!!

“What’s wrong, Ferdinand? Have you finally realized that Edelgard will always be your superior?” Hubert smirked that dumb smirk he always did, taunting the Von Aegir. Edelgard shot her vassal a half-annoyed stare. 

“Hubert.” 

“Whatever you say, my lady.” Once she turned around, Ferdinand almost swore that the Von Vestra rolled his eyes. Edelgard regarded her “rival” with that same calculating glare. They were sparring with each other today. Despite Ferdinand’s self-appointed rival status, he was a great partner to fight against.

But he wasn’t fighting as he usually does.

“You’re distracted today, Ferdinand,” She stated. Ferdinand got back into stance and rolled his shoulders.

“Nonsense, Edelgard. I am perfectly alright with sparring,” Ferdiand deflected, however she stayed on his scent. 

“You’re not. Keep going and you’ll risk injury.” Her gaze softened slightly before saying, “You’re concerned with Professor Byleth.” Ferdinand’s gaze widened for a second. She just read him like a book. Since the tragedy of Captain Jeralt, he’d been beside himself with worry for their teacher. Professor Byleth had only come out for lunch, to fish, and to teach. Beyond that, hardly anyone saw hide nor hair of the professor, and it was beginning to worry everyone. Ferdinand included. 

“As perceptive as ever, Lady Edelgard,” Hubert praised from his little corner. Ferdinand resisted the urge to roll his eyes to not been seen as not noble.

“I’ve been worried about him too, Ferdinand,” She frowned slightly. “Unfortunately, I haven’t had the chance to talk to him about it since the incident.” Ferdinand watched his ‘rival’s’ face for a moment and could’ve swore he saw something almost akin to...guilt? But as soon as it appeared, it disappeared. He decided to leave it alone.

“As usual, you tend to be right, Edelgard,” Ferdinand sighed, allowing his stance to drop and shoulders to slump slightly. “I am afraid that it is all I have been thinking about since it happened. I wanted to do more during the event, but…” Ferdinand’s voice trailed off as he spoke. A thousand excuses crossed his mind, but in the end they were just that: excuses. Edelgard, to her credit, nodded. Hubert remained unreadable.

“You know, Ferdinand, you really should invite the professor out for tea. Perhaps that would help him relax a little,” Edelgard suggested, putting away her training axe while Ferdinand followed suit, considering her offer. It wasn’t a bad idea. Ferdinand did enjoy tea quite a lot and it would give the professor some needed peace. 

“I think I shall do that, Edelgard,” Ferdinand bowed towards her. “Thank you for the suggestion. And do not worry, next we spar, I will be in much better shape to challenge you!” The Von Aegir declared before walking out of the training hall. Edelgard merely waved as he took off.

  
  
  
  


Ferdinand nervously waited for the Professor at the gazebo. He had visited the Professor’s dorm room with the intention of inviting him to tea, but before he could knock, he heard the Professor’s soft sobbing. Instead, he slid a letter to tea underneath the door and went to the kitchen to procure some sweets for their meeting. That is...if the professor decided to show up. 

Ferdinand busied himself by steeping the professor’s tea leaves. He always found the simple process of tea relaxing and calming. It was easy, precise, and done right, it provided an excellent drink to share with friends and others. His father showed him how to make and talk about tea properly so he could woo the other nobles when he became older, but over time, Ferdinand fell in love with tea as a whole.

He started to hear footsteps approaching one of the entryways into the gazebo, instinctually, Ferdinand straightened up to see the person walking through.

It was Professor Byleth.

Except, he didn’t look like himself. Granted, this entire month, he didn’t look like himself. His hair was disheveled, but not in that cute way that normally has it. He was wearing his normal armor, but he was definitely missing some of the pieces to it. Ferdinand could also see the bags underneath his teacher’s eyes had gotten worse. Beyond that his eyes were bloodshot from crying. All in all, the professor had seen better days. 

Ferdinand suddenly felt nervous as the professor made eye contact with the Von Aegir and approached the gazebo. Ferdinand stood up and greeted his professor warmly. 

“Good afternoon, Professor Byleth! Thank you for meeting me here! It does my heart well that you accepted my invitation.” Ferdinand smiled brightly, gesturing to the seat across from himself. Byleth gave a tiny smile before sitting down. Ferdinand poured them both a cup of the Southern Fruit blend that he had procured from the kitchen earlier. Afterwards, he set the cup and it’s dish in front of Byleth. The professor nodded in thanks to the red-headed student. Ferdinand settled down in his own seat before tentatively taking a sip of his own cup. He sighed in satisfaction. Brewed to perfection. He glanced up at his companion and noticed that his eyes merely stared at the cup as if it held the answers to his turmoil. Ferdinand’s hand clenched slightly around his cup.

“Professor, if I can be frank, everyone is incredibly worried about your condition,” Ferdinand started. Byleth glanced up, his eyes glinting with wariness. “I will not pretend I can understand your thoughts and feelings. But I am sure I speak on behalf of the entire monastery when I say that we care about you deeply.” There was something in the professor’s eyes that he couldn’t quite place. It was almost like gratitude, but also not gratitude. 

“Ferdinand.” The student in question had to physically stop himself from flinched at the sound of his teacher’s croaky, exhausted voice. Goddess, it almost broke Ferdinand on the spot. He had never heard someone sound so defeated. He looked into his professor’s blue eyes. Tears shone just behind his eyes. 

“Thank you.”

“Whatever for, Teacher?”

“For getting me out of my room,” Professor Byleth started. He took a deep breath, steadying himself. Ferdinand didn’t dare say a word. “For inviting me out to tea. I’ve been...cooped up in my room for some time. All I could do is cry. I’m pretty sure I’ve passed out from dehydration a few times.” He laughed in spite of the situation. The professor’s eyes went skyward, letting the two of them sit in silence. Ferdinand could only hear the sound of his heart beat in his eardrums. 

“So truly, Ferdinand,” Professor Byleth said, bringing his eyes back to Ferdinand’s orange ones. A smile stretched across his features. But it wasn’t a small forced smile at all. It was the one that every student had savored for the months they’ve been at the academy. The smile that he only showed them after they’d ace a certification exam. Ferdinand couldn’t help it as a couple of tears trailed down his cheeks. 

“Thank you.”

“You’re welcome. Professor Byleth.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tbh, I'm not 100% on this chapter! Potentially because I've been off the grind for a couple of months but who's to say?
> 
> Now! For the hint for the next character!
> 
> ZZzzzzzzzzzz.....

**Author's Note:**

> I used Wheel Decide and just threw all the characters into it and Mercedes was the first one to show up! Ain't that just sweet?? Anyway, I've already gotten the next character lined up for their specific chapter! And wouldn't YOU like to know who it is ;)
> 
> Thank you so much for reading!!


End file.
